One Rotten Day
by Symbiotic Toxin
Summary: Witness the origins of Heath Ledger's Joker from his and someone elses point of view. Slight language, suggestive acts, and alot of blood in here. So, where do we begin...
1. Just One Rotten Day

The teenage boy ran with his book bag over his head, the rain pounding on both it and him relentlessly. He stepped in puddle after puddle, soaking his pant legs and his shoes. His dark-brown hair that usually was smoothed back was not over his eyes and clinging to him. As he ran he took notice to the dark and decrepit neighborhood he was forced to call home. Everywhere he looked there were bums on the ground drunk of over burning barrels, garbage laid on the sidewalk, houses with broken windows and the god awful smell of beer and gasoline mixed in the air. But none of this bothered him. He grew up in this place for 15 years of his life with a protective mother and a drunkard father. The bums, the trash, the smell, it all was a part of him in some way. But soon the bums became scarce and the trash less abundant as the boy entered into another part of his neighborhood.

They boy was running late for school, again. This meant that the school's bully, named Louis or Lou for short, would be waiting for him. He always did. He beat the boy up for money, food, or amusement. Within minutes the boy was only a few feet form the school, the dark clouds and the rain making look more like an asylum then a place of education.

And then he saw him. A pudgy boy with dirty blond hair and a face that only a mother could even consider loving. It was Lou, waiting for the boy to come from the left so he could take his money and beat him. But the boy had thought ahead and came to school through a different route. Feeling confident he made a mad dash for the school, thinking he would make it past the bully today. As he was grabbed and flung to the ground he knew he had thought wrong.

"What are you running for, dweeb?" Lou asked in a mocking tone. The boy was on the ground, the entire right side of him wet and muddy. He looked up at Lou, a deep hate in his eyes as he did so. He wanted him dead, mostly at his own hands. But he knew there was no way he could do such a thing. He was weak."I said what are you running for?" Lou asked with a more serious tone of voice.

"I-I-I'm late for class." The boy said meekly."Well tough luck, you gotta pay to get in, dweeb." Lou ordered. Getting up the boy reached into his pocket and pulled out $2 and handed it over to the bully. After Lou took his money the boy began to head to the school. But Lou had something else to say. He grabbed the boy and pushed him down to the ground again, pinning him down with his foot on the boys' chest."Your 50 cents short, dweeb. Which means I gotta make you pay the hard way." Lou said, a smile on his face as he stomped on the boy's chest to knock the wind out of him. From there he knelt down and punched the boy all over. The rain caused the blows to make a loud SMACK on every hit. But the boy didn't retaliate. He didn't fight back.

No, the boy merely curled into a ball and took the blows, knowing he couldn't fight back. He was weak, and not so desperate as to bring a weapon with him to take on the bully. But one day he would be strong. One day… The boy walked out of the nurses office. He was quite familiar with the nurse working there since he was in the office every morning to get treatment for Lo's bruises. But no matter how bad it was neither he or the nurse told the principal or anyone about the beatings. The boy walked to his first class with the hope that he would at least have a decent time there. But as he walked he saw Lou standing in the hall, waiting for him."I'm not finished with you dweeb." He said. The boy simply stood there as Lou grabbed him and pushed him into the lockers. The beatings began again, with the boy slumped on the ground and leaned up against the lockers. His head was towards Lou slightly, looking at him with a burning desire to give him a good punch to the mouth. Everything felt like blur to him as the beatings continued when suddenly they stopped.

He could here a voice. A girl's voice. The boy looked up at the boy looked up to see a girl in a blue tang-top and red miniskirt yelling at Lou. At first he couldn't hear anything. But he didn't have to when he saw the girl smack Lou across the face. Lou spat at the boy, missing of course, and walked away. The girl, however, knelt down to him and cleaned the blood that was running from his face. The girl then introduced herself.

"I'm Harleen Quinzel. But call me Harley." She said, a jersey accent slightly heard in her voice. The boy returned the courtesy.

"I'm Jack Napier." He said. She said a few more words before heading off somewhere. Jack looked after her, a smile on his beaten face. He liked her and hoped he would see him again.

Class was the same as it always was for Jack. He sat there, paying no attention, the teacher yelling at him, and the other kids ignoring or making fun of him. Once class ended he hurried out of the room to get to his next class before Lou found him. But luckily for him Lou was busy pushing another kid in a locker. When Lou left with his buddies Jack went over to the locker and opened it up.

A boy lunged out of the locker, falling to the ground hard. The boy had long black hair that was worn in a ponytail to keep it out of his eyes, which were covered by glasses. The glasses, however, were off his face and a foot away form him as he scrambled his hands on the ground to find them. Jack grabbed them and handed them to him, knowing who the boy was. He was Edward Nygma, the school's brainiac and another of Lou's target's."Ah, thank you. " Edward said as he quickly collected his things and ran off. Jack went back to heading for class, hoping he missed as much of it as he could. Once there the usual routine began. He didn't pay attention, the teacher yelled, kids made fun of him. The rest of the day went on the same way.

At the end of the day Jack looked outside, remembering that it was still raining. Yet another reason he would have liked to rather stay at the school then go home. But he already had on his hooded raincoat that was as red as the blood that was all over his face in the morning. Sighing deeply Jack went out into the rain, hoping his dad wasn't home when eh got there.

Soon the boy was in his neighborhood, the diseased area he loved. Lou lived in this area too, which made Jack tingle a bit that maybe Lou would be waiting for him. And he was right. Lou sat on the stoop of his house, looking straight at Jack. He ran over and grabbed Jack by his coat, punching him as he did.

"Forgot to give you this after school, dweeb!" He said. Jack felt the beating continue, silently chuckling to himself. He was cracking ever so slowly, which was noticeable to Lou as he stopped punching him."No wonder your old man beats you around. Your nuts." Lou told him. He dropped Jack and went on home, leaving him to get up and go home again. But before he could get up he felt someone's presence again. He looked up to see Harleen looking a him, her hand held out. He grabbed it and was pulled up. They stared at one another before either of them made a move.

"You're bleeding again. And you're soaking wet." She fussed. Before Jack could say anything Harleen grabbed his hand and pulled him along.

"C'mon, I'll take you to my house to clean you up." She said pleasantly. Jack effortlessly went along with her, his feelings of hate dissipating away to make room for more happy feelings. They walked till they came to a small little shack that was out of Jack's neighborhood. Harleen opened the door and dragged him inside.

"Take a seat." She said, offering Jack the couch. He sat in the chair close by it instead, finding it more comforting. She took his raincoat from him before she left him to looking at his surrounds while she went to get something to clean him up. She came back quickly and sat on the arm of the chair while she cleaned away the blood and rain from his face. All the while the two conversed with one another a flame burning inside each of them.

An hour had passed before Jack had got home. He lived on 3 room apartment that housed his family, the land lords, and a couple that could always be heard having sex no matter what time of day. The building had 3 floors to it, so the apartments were pretty big. Walking up the stairs to get to the top floor, Jack could already hear the loud noises of sex and of the land lords television that was always turned up. When he finally got to his door he took a breathe before heading into the hell he was forced to call minute Jack walked in his mother instantly came up to him and fussed over him more then Harleen did. She saw the bruises on his face and his arms and immediately panicked over what his father would say.

"Oh, my poor baby. Did Louis do this too you again? We have got to have a talk with that boys parents." She said first.

"Your Father isn't going to like this. She hates it when you don't defend yourself." She said. Jack nodded and went into his room to do his school work. His room had only a bed, a lamp, a nightstand, and a dresser. Nothing more. Walking over to his bed Jack threw his things onto it before sitting on it. He sighed once more as he got his homework out from book bag.

And hour and a half had passed, with Jack slouched over his work sleeping. He was woken up by the sound of the door to the apartment slamming close. His father was home. And judging by the stumbling footsteps he had another bad day at work and got drunk again. He could hear his mother's dainty footsteps come over to him, knowing she was trying to keep him steady.

"Dear, please. Calm down a bit, will you? What happened?" his mother asked.

"The same that happened yesterday, Mary! And the day before that, and the day before that. They hated me." His father complained, stumbling away further into the house.

"Oh, it couldn't have been all bad. I'm sure someone must've laughed."

"No one laughed, Mary. They booed me right off stage. Not a one of the bums in the city knows funny if it were to bite them on the"

"Richard, please. Keep your voice down. Jack's doing his homework."

"So what? The little shit's not goin anywhere in life, just like his old man! You here you me, boy!" Richard yelled as he stumbled some more. Jack shook his head as he threw his things off of his bed and laid down, deciding it best to just go to bed. Very quickly he blacked out and slept through his parents yelling and went into the brighter world of his dreams. He and Harleen were together, laughing in a park that was lit ever so brightly. But suddenly the sky became gray, and a Lou appeared before him. And then Richard, and then every other person he hated.

They swarmed around him, calling him names, beating him, spitting on him, laughing all the while. Jack was curled up in a ball as this went on, a smile forming on his face as it all went on. Suddenly there was a loud scream. Then a thud.

Jack awoke to these noises, looking around spastically for the source. He quickly leapt form his bed and left his room, looking for the source. As he looked he started hearing something. A laugh, deep and depressed.

Jack followed the laugh, wondering where his parents were. His father might've just gone out to get drunk again, but his mother would still be here. He followed the noise into the kitchen. His eyes widened and a look of shock and horror spread across his face.

Blood was splattered on the floor, in either drips or puddles. Mary laid face down on the kitchen floor, almost drowning in the blood on the ground. But all to fast Jack realized the blood was from her.

He looked away from the body to see Richard at the kitchen table, a knife on his hand. It was still glistening with fresh blood that dripped from its tip. But what horrified Jack most that Richard, the monster, was laughing. He looked back at Jack, frowning as he briskly walked over to him.

Jack backed away from him, trying to get away.

"Why so serious, Jack?" Richard asked. Jack said nothing as he continued to back away. Richard was gaining on him. His face contorted angrily.

"I asked you a question, boy. Why so serious!" He yelled. He was close enough to Jack that he simply reached out his hand and grabbed him by the head, pulling him towards him. Jack struggled as hard as he could, unable to break his father's grip. Suddenly Jack felt something metallic enter his mouth, tugging slightly on the right side of his it.

Richard had stuck the bloody knife into his son's mouth, ready to give him a scar he wouldn't ever forget.

"You look sad, boy. Why don't you let me put a smile on that face of yours." Richard said silently. At that exact moment, when Richard pulled the knife through his son's mouth, Jack managed to push his father's hand back in an attempt to get the knife out of his mouth. The result was instead of the knife cutting through his face a cut that ran in deep. The cut went from the right corner of his mouth and curved up half way to the bottom of his right ear.

Richard let his son go, seeing his failure. Jack, on the other hand, was holding his face as he screamed out in pain. Looking at Richard, Jack flung himself at his father. Both of them went down to the ground, the knife dropping from Richard's hand when he hit the ground. Seeing an opportunity that he would never see again Jack grabbed the knife as fast as he could and thrust it into his father's chest.

Richard let out a scream that faded into a whisper, and then into nothing. Jack looked upon his father's dead body, then at the knife. He felt something inside him, something that was never there before. He started to smirk. The smirk then became a smile.

With the smile came a chuckle, and then a laugh. Soon Jack was laughing as loud as his lungs would allow him to. But it was a deep, demented laugh that would sent shivers down the spine of all who heard it. He had, finally, cracked. He continued to laugh as he picked up the knife and put it into his mouth again.

Quickly he cut another curved cut into his face, matching the one on his right. His screams were mixed with his laughter, aiming it sound even more evil and cynical. Blood ran down the lower part of his jaw from and onto Richard's body. Jack got off his body and went to the bathroom, his laughter dying down.

Jack turned on the sink and began to wash away the blood from his jaw. He needed a good look at the cuts on his face to see how bad the damage was. Once the blood was washed away he looked into the mirror. The cuts still had blood seeping through them, and his lips were stained red.

"I look like I have a smile on my face. Like a clown" Jack said to himself. He started laughing again at the idea of him being a clown.

"Yeah, a clown. That's a good idea." Jack said. Quickly he ran out of the bathroom and busted into his room. He opened his dresser and began routing through all the drawers. Finally he stopped and pulled out a case of Halloween make-up. He remembered the year he used his kit to be a clown for Halloween once, though Lou's response to this was less then savory since he beat him up for his candy. He opened up the kit and got to work.

Walking out of his room, Jack headed straight for his parents room. His face was now chalk white, with his eyes and the area around them completely black. His dark brown hair now had green going through it. Entering his parent's room Jack went over to Richard's dressed and went through it. Nothing. He went to the closet and went thought that.

Finding the smallest thing in there, Jack pulled from the closet suit. The dress shirt was orange with a green tie matching it, covered by a dark purple jacket with matching pants. Throwing it on his parents' bed Jack went to eh floor of the closet and looked for a pair of shoes. He found a pair of dress shoes his father used to wear when they fit him. Closing the closet door Jack turned to the closes and immediately began to undress.

After he took off all of clothes he began to out on the suit he had set out for himself. With 5 minutes Jack was wearing the suit, combing his hair back. Once done he left the room and went into the kitchen one last time to grab the knife.

"Might as well clean it up." He said. He went over to the sink and began to wash away the blood from the knife, a mixture of him, his father, and his mother.

"The whole families here!" Jack laughed. Once done he began to head out of the kitchen. He stopped. He needed to leave something, something that would show he was here. And he knew just the thing.

Jack walked over to the kitchen counter and opened a drawer below him. Inside a was a pack of cards. Taking them out of the drawer Jack took the deck out of their pack and went through them, looking for something. He stopped when he found he 2 cards that he wanted, throwing one of them onto the body of Richard.

With that Jack finally left the apartment, setting out to fulfill his darkest desire at time. But before then he would eliminate the witnesses, or potentially witnesses. As he went down to the leave the building Jack busted into every apartment and killed everyone inside. He killed the couple having sex, right before the climax. He killed the land lord last, telling he had his rent money.

Lou sat in his house, watching the television bored. His parents were out for the night and he felt tike staying up all night to see what was on TV. Nothing. He decided to just call it a night and go to bed when there was a knock at the door.

"Who the…" Lou asked himself as he went over to the door. He opened the door, getting ready to yell at whoever it was to get lost. He instead let out a whimper when he opened the door to someone in a purple suit with the face of a clown coming towards him with a knife.

"Hello, Louis. Hope you don't mind I dropped by." Jack said as he waltzed into Lou's house. Lou was backing up as he did so, scared at what he was seeing. Jack, on the other hand, was smiling form ear to ear. And it wasn't because of the cuts on his face.

"What do you want?" Lou asked. Jack let out a simple chuckle as he put the knife closer to Lou's face.

"Why so serious, Lou? Can't a guy just drop in one someone in the middle of the night looking for some kicks?" Jack answered. He began laughing louder when he saw Lou shake from fear as the knife got closer and closer to him.

"Commissioner Loeb, the parents would like to know who we think did this." An officer said. He was talking to the city police departments commissioner, an average sized black man with a men look about him. The commissioner looked over at a couple holding each other, the women crying into her husband.

"Tell them the truth." He said. The officer nodded and went over to the couple to break the bad news. Loeb looked up into the night time sky, seeing no stars or moon. Suddenly he was interrupted by another officer shouting at him.

"Sir, we just got a call from Officer Gordon! We got the man who murdered the Wayne's!" He yelled. Loeb looked at the officer and nodded to him. Another officer walked up to him and gave him more news.

"There's another building a few blocks from here that was hit. Apartment building, all the residents killed." The officer said. Loeb shook his head.

"Gotham's just one big surprise after another. Get some guys over there to move out the bodies. Whoever did this can't be too far way." Loeb said. Suddenly he heard something echoing around. A laugh. A sadistic laugh that made him shiver when he heard it.


	2. Love, Bloody Love

"Harleen Quinzel, please report to the principal's office immediately." said the teacher. He slammed a note, given to him by the attendant, on to his desk and looked at the crowd of students. His gaze was fixated on one student in particular, a teenage girl with her blonde hair in pigtails. This was Harleen Quinzel.

Usually when a student was called to the principal's office the class would be filled with kids going 'ooooh'. Instead it was filled with kids going 'Figures'. Harleen fixed her adjusted her blue tang top before she stood up, shaking her head.

"What, they find another pack of cigarettes and blamed me for?" She asked with a slight jersey accent. She fixed her bright red mini-skirt and headed to the front of the class to the teacher's desk. But the teacher quickly directed her to the door out leave. She redirected herself and went on to leave the class.

Outside of the class room Harleen let out a soft sigh and start to head up the hall to the office. Someone must have done something bad and pinned it on here, again. It always happened no matter what. And no matter what she never got used to it. Why did everyone hate her so much.

And just as she asked herself that question she saw the answer ahead of her. Louis, her ex-boyfriend was standing across the hall form the nurse's office. He looked like he was waiting for someone. Harleen could have cared less. Lou was an asshole.

He and Harleen had dated for about a month before she broke up with him. He became too possessive for her tastes and couldn't stand to have him by her side every waking moment. So after they broke up Lou got her back by spreading lies around the school that she was slut and a drug-user. Both were lies that she denied greatly, thought no one believed her. Suddenly Harleen snapped back to reality to see what exactly Lou was standing there for.

Lou was no longer on the other said of hall. He was now beating up someone up against the lockers. The kid was curled and leaned up against the lockers as he took the beating Lou was giving him. But Harleen was taking any of it. She ran up to Lou as he beat the kid and pushed him aside, surprising him.

"Lou, ya bully. Leave the poor kid alone he ain't ever done anythin' to you." She said. Lou was still surprised, even though it was Harleen. Looking at her and then the boy who was still in a defensive position he snapped out of his stupor and became angry.

"Harleen, what the hell was that for?"

"Excuse me? Ya beat p a poor kid up against the lockers and ya ask me what I'm doin?" Harleen barked back at Lou.

"This isn't your business, now get!"

"Yer such an ass. No wonder I dumped ya."

"Yeah yeah, poor Harleen. Got stuck in a bad relationship, boohoo. I thought sluts were supposed to be used to getting stiffed." Lou barked back. Harleen's reaction was a righteous one at that.

As if by an instinct or a reflex she smack Lou right across the face, the noise echoing right down the hall. Lou held his face as he walked away, spitting at the kid. Harleen ignored him as she knelt down to help the kid was actually a boy, a little older then Harleen. He had short black hair that was slightly wet and clinging to his head. At first Harleen wiped away the blood that was at the corner of his mouth while introducing herself.

"My names Harleen Quinzel. But you can call me Harley." She said with a smile. The boy smiled back as he introduced himself.

"I'm Jack Napier." He said in a low voice. Harleen stuck out her hand, which Jack acknowledged by grabbing and shaking it.

"I gotta go, but I hope to see you again. Just without the blood." She joked as she got up and slowly left him. She could feel him staring after her, but she didn't care. He was kind of cute anyway, and she gave her a feeling that she never felt before. A feeling she liked.

Harleen entered the principal's office with a less that happy look on her face. The principal, a fat balding man with thick-rimmed glasses, sat behind a desk waiting for her.

"Sit down, Ms Quinzel." He said. Hesitantly, Harleen sat down in a chair in front of his desk. She hoped whatever he had to say would be said quick. The less she was in the office the better.

"Ms Quinzel, I'll be frank with you. Your failing all of your classes and are in danger of failing for the school year." The principal told her. Harleen didn't know what to say. This wasn't what she expected.

"Well, is there anythin' I can do to pass?" She asked. The principal shook his head.

"At this point now, I'm afraid there is nothing I can do." He said. Harleen looked down at her feet with her eyes wide open. Slowly she got up and left the office, stunned. She was going to fail and be held back with the other losers in the school.

She'd be harassed and picked on even more for this. She didn't need that. She didn't want that. But there was nothing she could do. Nothing at all.

Harleen went through the rest of her classes dazed and sad. The rain outside didn't help her mood either. Finally the final bell rang out and she went to her locker as fast as she could to grab her umbrella. Walking out of the school she opened it up and began her trek home in the depressing she walked to her house Harleen passed through an even more depressing neighborhood. All around there was trash, homeless people, and a smell that agitated her nose.

As she walked further into it she saw something she didn't want to see again. Lou was walking away from Jack, who was lying on the ground in his hooded red raincoat.

"Oh no…" She uttered as she sprinted over to him. She hoped he wasn't in too much pain, or worse. When she reached him she let out a sigh of relief to see he was breathing, though covered in more blood. She stretched her hand out to him again, hoping to help him up.

It took Jack awhile to notice her hand there. But when he saw it he smiled and took it eagerly, allowing Harleen to hoist him up. He was bleeding from his nose and mouth again, though not as bad as this morning.

"Your bleeding again. And you're soaking wet." She said. Eagerly she grabbed and held onto his hand as she began to drag him along to her house. Jack went with it, not putting up a fight what so ever.

They walked for what seemed like forever when they reached Harleen's house. It wasn't much, only a small little shack that provided shelter for her and her mother. She walked inside and took Jack's raincoat from as she offered him the couch. He sat in the chair instead, allowing Harleen to head further into her house to put the coat somewhere to dry and to get something to clean Jack up. 5 minutes later she appeared before Jack, wiping away the blood and rain water from his face.

"I'm sorry about Lou. He's always been an ass." she said. The boy looked at her, smiling.

"You don't talk much, do ya puddin'?' Harleen asked.

"I talk. I just like to keep quiet sometimes. Most times people leave me alone. Unless there Lou." Jack explained.

Once she was finished cleaning up Jack's face she moved over to the couch, looking at Jack and conversing with him. All the while they talked she felt something brewing deep with her. This was a guy she only just met yet she felt like they had known each other for years.

"So why did your parents name you Harleen? That an interesting name for a girl." Jack asked. Harleen blushed a little at the question.

"Well my mom thought that since out last name is Quinzel that I should be named Harley, that way it would sound like Harlequin. But she named me Harleen instead since Harley is more of a boys name." Harleen explained. Jack smiled again, trying not to laugh.

"What?"

"Nothin', I just can't see you as a Harlequin." Jack said.

"I have a costume of it. I wore it 2 years ago for Halloween." She said. Grabbing him by the arm Harleen dragged Jack to her bedroom to show him. Jack was too surprised to put up a fight.

Harleen's room was just like any stereotypical girl's room. Pink with posters of actors and other things all around. Harleen pushed Jack over to her bed as she ran to her closet, bursting it open. She began going through it right that second, looking for the outfit.

"Here it is!" She yelled out when she found it. Coming out of the closet she held a tight spandex suit. It was a red and black pattern on it that engulfed the entire out fit. Its was almost like feety-pajamas, seeing as how it covered both feet with a point at each end.

A jesters hat was attached to the outfit, making it look like a cowl almost.

"See?." She said. Jack nodded in acknowledgment. The he went wide-eyed by what Harleen began doing. She was stripping down to her bra and panties right in front of Jack.

"Don't worry, I'm just putting the costume on. Don't get too excited. Yet." Harleen joked as she began to put the outfit on. Jack couldn't help but watched as she managed to put her busty physique into such a tight outfit.

"Well? Whaddaya think, puddin?" She asked. Jack was speechless. Harleen giggled to herself as she got ready to take the outfit off. Just then Jack stood up and headed towards the door.

"Hey, where ya goin?" Harleen asked sadly. She was hoping she didn't scare him off. She didn't want that one little bit.

"I just gotta go home. Its getting late. But I'll see ya tomorrow, Harley. Promise." Jack said.

And just like that Jack left. Harleen was alone again, but she was happy for once too. She couldn't wait till came and Harleen was less then happy. She had gone to school in hopes of seeing Jack there. But when she did she was greeted instead by the latest news to hit the school.

Apparently an apartment house and Lou's house were attacked. Lou and 5 other people were found dead, a smile carved into their faces. After school Harleen went home weeping. She hadn't seen Jack all day. What if the apartment attacked was his? What would she do without him?

That night, Harleen laid in her bed, face buried in her pillow as she sobbed. She wore her Harlequin outfit, remembering Jack as she thought of the horrible things that could have happened to him if he was one of the 5 other victims. Suddenly she heard a knock at her door. Slowly she got up and headed to the front door as she wondered who it could be. It wasn't her mother, she had left for the 3rd shift an hour ago.

Harleen put her jester cowl down, opened the door, and looked out. Her leapt out f her chest as she let out a scream of shock and joy. Standing there, clad in a purple suit, was Jack. His face was covered in white make-up with black all around his eyes that ran to resemble tears almost. His mouth was red as well as the long cuts on the sides of his lips that were partially scabbing still looking as if they were recently made.

"Harley?" Jack said. Harleen busted into tears as she jumped at Jack and pulled him into her arms, embracing him with every bit of her strength

"Oh puddin', I'm so happy you're alive! I heard what had happened to Lou and those people and thought you were…oh, but its doesn't matter now! You're safe!" Harleen shouted in happiness. Jack looked down at her and smiled. The scars already gave him a creepy smile, but now it was almost terrifying to look at. He wrapped his arms around her and rested her head into his chest, her tears of joy dampening his suit.

Slowly Harleen left Jacks' embrace. She took hold of his hand, however, and pulled him into her house. The light of the living room showed Jack to be skinnier and paler then he usually was. His dark brown hair was shown to be green in some places, washed away by the excessive rain they had. His suit jacket had bits of blood over it.

Harleen looked at the blood stains, wondering where he could have gotten them. _His mouth maybe? Those cuts look like they bled a lot…_

"Where'd the blood come from?" She finally asked. Jack looked down at the stains, then back up with a demented smile on his face. He pointed at one spot on his jacket.

"This is Lou. Right here is my dad. And the other spots are either other people or mine." He said with a little bit of joy behind his voice. Harleens' eyes went wide as Jack told her where the blood came form.

"You…killed Lou? And those other people… why?" She asked. Jack walked towards her, his arms stretched out.

"Why does anyone do what they do? They just do things." He said calmly and coldly. Harleen took a step back when he came towards her, but she changed her mind suddenly. She wasn't afraid of him. She wasn't scared that he could possible kill her too.

Grabbing his hand again, Harleen pulled him further into the house. She didn't know he would go mad. She didn't care either. Harleen gripped his hand tightly. Jack did the same as he was pulled along.

Harleen lied in her bed, clad in only half of her Harlequin costume and her bra and staring at the ceiling. She had given Jack some of her dads' old clothes for him to wear so he could get out of his smelly suit and take a shower. He reeked of blood, sweat, and of the grime in the alleys. There was a knock at her door.

"You can come in, puddin'." She answered. With that the door opened and Jack entered the room, wearing a white wife beater and a of pajama pants. With his make-up gone Harleen could clearly see the scars on his face. They were healing very slowly. Sitting up on his bed and flipping her hair out of her face, Harleen moved over on her bed and beckoned Jack over to her.

Curious as to what she wanted but to tired to think that much into it, Jack made his way to the bed. When close enough he was grabbed once more and pulled onto it. Harleen had him pinned on his back while she was on top of him, smiling. They stared at one another for what felt like an eternity. His hands were on her wait, her hands on his chest.

Cautiously, they moved in closer to each other. There lips touched briefly, then they separated. Then they touched again. Jack moved his hands from Harleens' wait and wrapped them around her to pull her close to him. Harleen did the same, wrapping her arms around his neck and moaning ever so quietly…

The two of them laid next to one another on Harleen's bed. Jack was now wearing boxers while Harleen was wearing her bra while her costume laid on the floor. A blanket was wrapped around her, hiding everything except her legs. She rolled over to look at Jack.

"So puddin', did you enjoy it?" She asked him with a smile. She watched as he continued to breath heavily, sweat on his brow.

"Enjoy what? This?"

"No. Killing Lou. Your dad. Everyone." She asked. Jack glanced at her as he smiled again. He remembered every detail of his crimes. Ever little spatter of blood that spilled onto his suit.

"Oh yes, I enjoyed that."

"What was it like?"

"It was like…like I was free. Like every thing I tried to hold in and refrain from just busted out. My blood was rushing through me, my body felt like it was on fire. And I loved it." He explained. Harleen took her hand and ran her fingers over Jacks' scars. He flinched at first, not knowing what she was doing.

Harleen kept on smiling as she touched the scars. Here was this boy she had only just met yet it felt like she knew him all her live. He had even killed and she wasn't even afraid of him or what he might his scars were beautiful, a sign showing he was changed.

"Jack, do you love me?" Harleen asked Turning his head to her, Jack nodded.

"Of course I do." He told her. Harleens' smile faded as she looked Jack dead in the eye.

"I want you to give me your smile." She said. Jack gave her a puzzled look. _My smile? What does she mean-. _

"Oh…I can't." He said simply.

"But why?"

"I can't hurt you, I couldn't dream of it. And what if I cut to deep? You'll…" He stopped, closing his eyes and looking away. Harleen ran her hand across his face now.

"Those scars, that smile, shows you've changed. I want you to give it to me, to show that I've changed as well." She explained. Jack shook his head and turned away form her. And that was the end of that. They laid next to each other for a few minutes silent before they fell asleep..

The morning came quick, or it felt so to Jack. His eyes shot open when he realized the room was silent. He didn't hear Harleens' soft breathing or feel her next to him. He turned to confirm his suspicions. Harleen wasn't there. Maybe she got up earlier he thought. He got out of the bed, grabbed his wife-beater, and left the room.

On basic instinct he made his way to the bathroom. A morning shower would wake him up no problem. He'd hen find Harleen, apologize for last night, and go on through the day with her. However, hs plans were about to be changed dramatically. Jack opened the bathroom door, ready to walk in.

He was stopped dead in his tracks before his foot even hit the ground. Harleen was lying on the ground in her Harlequin costume. She was face down in a puddle of blood that drenched the tips of her hair red and nearly covered the bathroom floor. A red knife rested in her open hand.

"Harley!" Jack screamed. He knelt down beside her and turned her over. On her face were 2 long, deep gashes on either side of his mouth. _You stupid girl. You stupid, stupid girl_ he thought. Picking her up, Jack cradled her lifeless body in his arms. Tears rested in his eyes but refused to come out.

Just then he heard a scream. It came from the bathroom doorway. Jack looked to she a woman in a waitress uniform was standing there, her face filled his horror as she looked at him and the body. _It's her mother_

"Harleen! My baby! What have you done to my baby, you monster!" She shrieked. Jacks' eyes went wide with shock after hearing those words come out of her mouth. She thought he was the reason she was dead. That he killed Harleen.

The very thought burned Jack. He would never hurt her. Never cut her beautiful face up to be as twisted and ugly as his. His body began to feel hot, like it had been lit ablaze. His blood boiled as it rushed through his body. He knew this feeling.

He relished it. He knew what he was oing to do. What he was meant to do. He grabbed the knife from his dead lovers' hand and gripped it tight.

"I'm not…not a monster. " Jack said as he stood up off the floor. His eyes rested on the body of Harleen, resting in her own blood. Then they went to the knife, the one which filled him with memories he very much enjoyed and with thoughts of her that he dare not think of. Then they went to Harleens' mother.

"But if you want a monster, I'll give you one." Jack said. And with that he trusted himself at her, stabbing and slahing widly as he cackled. Blood spattered all over the walls_. Do you see me, Harleen? This is what I was keeping you form becoming. I was saving you from having one hell of a rotten day…like me._


End file.
